Exelon to build chilling plant

Exelon Thermal Technologies, which provides cooling service to Loop high-rises, confirms it has selected One IBM Plaza, at 330 N. Wabash Ave., as the site for its new water chilling plant, which will increase the company's downtown capacity by 10%.

Exelon Thermal, a unit of Commonwealth Edison Co. parent Exelon Corp., ran into a capacity shortage earlier this year, causing it to back out of several handshake deals it had with building developers to provide service (CRAIN'S, Feb. 19).

The new plant, which Exelon hopes to complete by next summer, will cost between $10 million and $12 million and produce 10,000 tons of chilled water that will be used for cooling. Meanwhile, Exelon Thermal isn't taking on new customers, as Exelon Corp. is considering selling the unprofitable unit.